Standards (Belize Standard: Code of Practice for Recreational Scuba Diving Services) (Declaration of Compulsory Standard) Order, 2016
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
BELIZE: STANDARDS (BELIZE STANDARD: CODE OF PRACTICE FOR RECREATIONAL SCUBA DIVING SERVICES) (DECLARATION OF COMPULSORY STANDARD) ORDER, 2016 ARRANGEMENT OF ORDER 1. Citation. 2. Declaration of Compulsory Standard. 3. Purpose of Compulsory Standard. Schedule. No. 57] Standards 1 BELIZE: STATUTORY INSTRUMENT No. 57 of 2016 ____________ AN ORDER made by the Minister responsible for the Belize Bureau of Standards, on the recommendation of the Belize Bureau of Standards, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 9(2) of the Standards Act, Chapter 295 of the Substantive Laws of Belize Revised Edition 2011, and all other powers thereunto him enabling. (Gazetted 18th June, 2016) ____________ 1. This Order may be cited as the Citation. STANDARDS (BELIZE STANDARD: CODE OF PRACTICE FOR RECREATIONAL SCUBA DIVING SERVICES) (DECLARATION OF COMPULSORY STANDARD) ORDER, 2016. 2. The Belize Standard (BZ CP 5: 2016) – Code of Declaration of Compulsory Practice for Recreational Scuba Diving Services, which is Standard. set out in the Schedule is hereby declared to be a compulsory Schedule standard with effect from June 1, 2016. 3. The compulsory standard declared in paragraph 2 is Purpose of intended primarily to, Compulsory Standard. (a) protect the consumer or user against danger to health or safety; (b) to require adequate information to be given to the consumer or user; and (c) to ensure quality in any case where there is restriction in choice of source of supply. 2 Standards [No. 57 (Paragraph 2) SCHEDULE belize standard (bz CP 5: 2016) - CODE OF PRACTICE FOR RECREATIONAL SCUBA DIVING SERVICES FOREWORD 0.1 This standard specifies minimum requirements for the effective and operational safety of the scuba diving experience in Belize. The standard was created in an effort to prevent and minimize accidents when scuba diving and for the prevention of possible environmental impacts of recreational scuba diving operations on fragile marine ecosystems in Belize. 0.2 In preparing this standard, assistance was derived from the following publications: (a) ICRAN-MAR 1; ICRAN Mesoamerican Reef Alliance and Code Taskforce: (2007). Standard Requirements for Recreational Scuba Diving Services in the Mesoamerican Reef System, San Francisco, CA 94104: Coral reef Alliance (b) PADI Instructor Manual: (2013). Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688-2125 USA (c) DAN Europe - EAP. (2014). DAN Europe - EAP. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.daneurope.org/eap. 1 SCOPE 1.1 This standard specifies the minimum requirements for conducting guided recreational scuba diving operations in ecosystems such as coral reefs, sea grass beds and related coastal environments of Belize, only. The standard applies to the following critical areas: (a) minimizing impact to the marine environment, particularly coral reefs, sea grass fields and related coastal environments; No. 57] Standards 3 (b) establishing minimum requirements for conducting guided and recreational scuba diving; (c) ensuring the safe operation and management of recreational scuba diving tours the activity, safety, health, emergency, equipment and special equipment of guided and recreational scuba diving and competence of staff; (d) providing guidelines for the rental of scuba diving equipmentof scuba diving tour operators selling dive packages; (e) providing guidelines for the sale of scuba diving packages to the public. 1.2 This standard does not: (a) specify curricula or practices for initial or advanced diver training, the qualifications of instructors, or related subjects; (b) address standards related to technical diving such as cave diving, mixed gas diving or commercial diving; (c) address technical specifications needed for technical diving such as cave diving, mixed gas diving or commercial diving; (d) address standards for snorkelling or free diving. 2 NORMATIVE REFERENCES The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this standard. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies. (a) Dive Operators Policy, 2001; (b) Belize Tourism Board (Tour Operators) Regulations, Chapter 275; 4 Standards [No. 57 (c) Belize Port Authority Act - Chapter 233; (d) Belize Fisheries Act-Chapter 210; (e) Environmental Protection Act – Chapter 328; 3 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS For the purposes of this standard, the following definitions shall apply: 3.1 dive assistant means a person who has sufficient knowledge and skill to dive and holds minimum of a dive master in training or equivalent from an accredited recreational scuba diving training agency. Dive assistants shall not increase the dive ratio of 1:8. 3.2 dive master means a qualified, professional scuba diver that licensed by the BTB and is a member in good standing with an international scuba diving training agency who is responsible for the monitoring and safety of other divers under his supervision. 3.3 dive flag meansa red flag with a white diagonal running from the upper left hand corner to the lower right hand corner or a blue-and-white swallow-tailed flag is the signal flag for the letter A, pronounced phonetically as “alfa” or “alpha.” A dive flag shall indicate the presence of a person(s) engaged in diving in the water or that is in progress in the immediate area. (See Annex D) 3.4 dive leader means the person who has sufficient knowledge, skill and experience to plan, organize, supervise and lead dives to known sites within the region, possesses personal rescue and rescue management skills and holds minimum of a dive master or equivalent rating certificate from an accredited recreational scuba diving training agency. In order to lead dives in Belize, a dive leader must be a licensed Belize tour guide. 3.5 dive shop means a building or any other facility where recreational scuba diving services are offered by a scuba diving tour operator. No. 57] Standards 5 3.6 dive site means the area where a scuba diving tour operator conducts recreational scuba diving. 3.7 divermeans the visitor or tourist that is paying or purchasing a dive service from a scuba diving tour operator. 3.8 environmentalin relation to a briefingor other activity includes information on ways and reasons to minimize impact on coral reefs, sea grass beds and related coastal environments while scuba diving. 3.9 guided scuba diving tour means scuba diving where clients are accompanied and supervised by a dive leader or dive master appointed by the scuba diving tour operator. 3.10 marine protected area (MPA) means an area of the marine environment that has been reserved by local laws or regulations to provide protection and conservation to part or all of the marine, terrestrial and cultural resources within its boundaries. 3.11 pre-dive briefingmeans a briefing or other activity given to or carried out for one or more divers prior to a guided scuba diving tour. It shall include, but is not limited to a briefing on safety and emergency procedures, separation procedures, exit and entry procedures, buddy or group assignments, underwater signs, the identity and role of staff, and a diver’s expected conduct. 3.12 recreational scuba diving means an underwater recreational activity which utilizes scuba gear. Recreational scuba diving is limited to diving no deeper than 130 feet or 40 meters within the no stop limits of recognized dive tables or dive computers. 3.13 recreational scuba diving ratio: means 1:8; i.e, 1 guide per every eight (8) certified diver: NOTE 1: This ratio is a maximum ratio based on scuba diving with ideal conditions; however, ratios may be adjusted to one (1) dive master with less divers, but shall not be adjusted higher than 1 diver master to 8 divers, at the discretion of the scuba diving tour operator 6 Standards [No. 57 and/or dive leader considering environmental factors such as, but not limited to, strong currents, low visibility, dive depth, and diver certification level and experience. NOTE 2: Non-certified divers shall be guided as per ratios established by the scuba diving training agency which the scuba diving tour operator is a member of. 3.14 risk assessment means a precautionary examination of possible causes of harm in the workplace in order to determine measures to prevent said harms. 3.15 scuba diving means underwater swimming with the use of scuba gear. 3.16 scuba diving tour operator means an entity (business, individual or organization), including any individual acting on behalf of such entity, which organizes and guides scuba diving tours and excursions for certified divers, is licensed under the BTB and is a certified member of a scuba diving training agency. 3.17 scuba instructor or instructor means anyone who holds a valid BTB tour guide license, a valid and renewed instructor certification from a scuba diving training agency such as, but not limited to: Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), Scuba Schools International (SSI), or Technical Divers International (TDI). 3.18 staff means individuals fully employed or working under contract hired by a scuba diving tour operator and includes but not limited to a dive leader, dive assistant, boat captain, deck assistant and office personnel. 3.19 supervised divermeans a Discover Scuba Diving participant, Scuba Diver Certified, and student diver. 3.20 waiting area means an area where people sit or stand until the event they are waiting for occurs. No. 57] Standards 7 4 REQUIREMENTS 4.1 Policy requirement The following requirements for a scuba diving tour operator and staff are compulsory and are subsequent requirements to the Dive Operators Policy, 2001 in order to ensure the utmost safety for divers in Belize. Its violations can be reported to local authorities, including co-managers of marine protected areas, natural monument and national park rangers or manager, the Fisheries Department, the Belize Port Authority (BPA) or the Belize Tourism Board (BTB).